The number of mobile phone subscribers in China is expected to reach 535 million by 2009, predicted the American telecom research company International Data Corporation (IDC).

The number is to hit over 901 million in 2009 in the Asia-Pacific Region (with Japan excluded), said IDC in a report released recently.

The sales revenue of mobile communications in the region (with Japan excluded) will reach 109.3 billion US dollars in 2009 with the compound annual growth rate being 9.4 percent, said IDC.

Third generation mobile communication (3G) will see booming growth in the region in the coming years and by 2009 the number of 3G subscribers will account for 14 percent of all mobile users.

Last year the number of 3G subscribers in the region reached 10.2 million, accounting for 1.9 percent of the total 527.3 million mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific Region (with Japan excluded).   IDC, a consulting company in the IT and telecom industries, entered China in 1992.

(Xinhua News Agency June 16, 2005)